Möge Tee, a global chain that specializes in bubble teas, will be opening up at 46-30 Center Blvd. in mid-June (Photo: Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
June 2, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
Möge Tee, a global bubble tea chain, plans to open a new shop in Long Island City later this month.
The new franchise location—the twelfth in New York City and fifth in Queens— will open in mid-June on the ground floor of The View at East Coast condominium building– a 184 unit complex located at 46-30 Center Blvd. The company has more than 380 shops worldwide.
The new location will be the second Möge Tee shop in Long Island City. Its other location is at 42-38 Crescent St.
The shop will serve the chain’s signature bubble teas–cold Asian teas made with sweetened milk and tapioca balls– to the Hunters Point community.
Jason Zheng, who is the owner and franchisee of both LIC locations, said he decided to open the new space on Center Boulevard because there is a lack of bubble tea shops along the waterfront.
He said he is looking to capitalize on the neighborhood’s growing Asian population but noted that bubble tea is catching on with people of all ethnicities.
“Everybody likes it, not just Asian people,” Zheng said, adding that opening a shop near the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign in Gantry Plaza State Park also appealed to him.
Some of the various Möge Tee drinks that will be available at the new 46-30 Center Blvd. location from mid-June (Photo: Möge Tee via Instagram)
Zheng, 22, is taking over a 750 square foot space that was previously occupied by Crank Cycling Studio. He said he is spending around $100,000 to renovate the space and it will look similar to his Crescent Street shop with a black and white interior.
There will be 17 seats inside and Zheng said he hopes to create an outdoor space in the near future.
All of the teas served at Möge Tee are made from scratch, using fresh, healthy ingredients, Zheng said.
“We never use artificial flavors – everything is natural,” Zheng said.
Zheng said that bubble teas make up around 30 percent of items the chain sells. Also on offer at the new shop will be a range of fruit teas, matcha teas and dessert teas, including an Oreo-inspired milk tea that consists of whipped cream and two layers of Oreo crumbs.
The location will also serve baked items like soufflés and Dorayaki – which is a type of Japanese confectionery made up of two small patties wrapped around a sweet filling.
Some of the fruit juices that will be available from L to R: grapefruit, berry, lemon, avocado and range (Photo: Möge Tee via Instagram)
The new shop is Zhengs second Möge Tee location. The young entrepreneur opened the Crescent St. location in 2019 shortly after he graduated from high school.
Zheng, who immigrated from China when he was 14, said he had little interest in attending university and always worked part-time in restaurants throughout his high school years.
“I was so poor when I was young that I was determined to change my life and go into business,” said Zheng, who grew up in Flushing and is now a LIC resident.
Zheng also owns and operates a Möge Tee on 42-38 Crescent St. (Photo: Google Maps)
Zheng said he got the idea to open his own bubble tea shops while working in a Möge Tee in Flushing.
He said he hopes to open more shops in the future but is focused on opening the Center Boulevard location for now.
Opening hours for the new shop will be from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
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